GVBBL's first hat-trick nearly lost ‘in the heat of the game'

By Max Stainkamph

Jan 11, 2021

In the chaos of the final over of the opening Goulburn Valley Bush Bash League clash, as wickets tumbled and the game ebbed back and forward, a milestone was overlooked.

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A large one, too — the first GVBBL hat-trick.

None had been taken in the first iteration of the competition last summer, but Jack Craig managed it in two separate overs for the Cobram Panel Works Panthers on Sunday.

Craig dismissed Peter Cassidy with the final ball of the 18th over, he took two in the first two of the 20th over as he had Dwain Vidler caught on the fence and Jarvis Delahey Crushers’ skipper Ramadan Yze stumped.

No-one on the field or on the sideline knew, they were all focused on the run-out next ball, which left the Panthers with seven to get off three deliveries.

“I had no idea, one of the young fellas came up to me and told me and I said ‘no I didn't, don't be silly’, but when we went over and looked at the scorecard we saw I got it,” Craig said.

“I stepped back and had a think about it.

“In the heat of the game it's not something we were concentrating on, we weren't thinking about that.”

After making 30 with the bat at the top of the Panthers’ order, Craig's three wickets so nearly gave them victory.

The last three deliveries were hit for a single and a six, and all of Craig's attention was on the "make-or-break" over.

“A few dot balls and it could have come into our favour, and the wickets did help with that, just old mate (Stuart Turner) was able to hit one away when I just missed the spot,” Craig said.

Despite the loss, he said he'd tried to be confident with ball in hand.

“The odds are against you with 55m boundaries and you've just got to execute ball-by-ball,” he said.

“One mistake and it's game over. I had a set plan and wanted to get batters hitting down the ground . . . just missed it."

However, he loved the GVBBL concept.

“I found it pretty good, it was surprising,” Craig said.

“You get the best players in country cricket together and the standard was really high.”